Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights
Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights is the third full length album by HIM released on August 27th, 2001 in Europe through BMG. Distribution came later for the U.S. on October 27th, 2004 through Universal Records licensed by Jimmy Franks Recording Company. The album charted at the #1 in Finland while reaching #190 in the U.S. The first single released from the album was "Pretending," and the second single was "In Joy and Sorrow." Soon after a double single of "Close to the Flame" and "Heartache Every Moment" was released internationally while Finland just received a regular single of "Heartache Every Moment." Recording History The recording of this album tested the band's patience and strength with their record label at the time. The original takes of most of these tracks were a lot rockier then what came out as the final product. The original rockier mixes were to the band's liking but the record label wanted something more in favor to appeal to the mainstream romantic pop side with the band losing on that one. "Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights" sucked to do. We have been lying all the time in public that it would've been nice but in reality it was just terrible. People from BMG think T.T. Oksala is a fucking producer. 'You can't use that kind of old man' they said, so they had to find expensive famous producers from outside of Finland. There came people we wouldn't want to work with. There were great moments in this record, but the whole making process was so shallow that this record doesn't give nice feelings. For the first time in my career I got sick and tired of making a record. There were too many people, so at the final part I wasn't even interested. I was just waiting to get this record out, so I didn't have to think about it any more. The band members and people from the record company think it is a negative thing, even though it's positive that the record is made. Surely it changed our way to make records. We were too kind and listened to too many people. It wasn't about compromises, but there were too many people telling what to do next. Then you start to think yourself, what's right?" - Ville Valo Touring The album shot up immediately to the #1 spot in their hometown of Finland and around the world. This led to a very long European tour that was full of cancellations, festivals and the band's first performance in the U.S. Track Listings International Releases Limited Edition Digipak # "Salt in Our Wounds" - 3:58 # "Heartache Every Moment" - 3:56 # "Lose You Tonight" - 3:42 # "In Joy and Sorrow" - 4:00 # "Pretending" - 3:55 # "Close to the Flame" - 3:46 # "You Are the One" - 3:26 # "Please Don't Let it Go" - 4:30 # "Beautiful" - 4:33 # "In Love and Lonely" - 3:46 # "Don't Close Your Heart" - 4:39 # "Love You Like I Do" - 5:14 Regular Edition # "Salt in Our Wounds" - 3:58 # "Heartache Every Moment" - 3:56 # "Lose You Tonight" - 3:42 # "In Joy and Sorrow" - 4:00 # "Pretending" - 3:55 # "Close to the Flame" - 3:46 # "Please Don't Let it Go" - 4:30 # "Beautiful" - 4:33 # "Don't Close Your Heart" - 4:39 # "Love You Like I Do" - 5:14 Special Limited Edition # "Salt in Our Wounds" - 3:58 # "Heartache Every Moment" - 3:56 # "Lose You Tonight" - 3:42 # "In Joy and Sorrow" - 4:00 # "Pretending" - 3:55 # "Close to the Flame" - 3:46 # "Please Don't Let it Go" - 4:30 # "Beautiful" - 4:33 # "Don't Close Your Heart" - 4:39 # "Love You Like I Do" - 5:14 # "Again" - 3:32 # "In Joy and Sorrow (String Version)" - 5:04 # "Pretending (The Cosmic Pope Jam Version)" - 7:59 U.S. Releases Regular Edition # "Salt in Our Wounds" - 3:58 # "Heartache Every Moment" - 3:56 # "Lose You Tonight" - 3:42 # "In Joy and Sorrow" - 4:00 # "Pretending" - 3:55 # "Close to the Flame" - 3:46 # "Please Don't Let it Go" - 4:30 # "Beautiful" - 4:33 # "Don't Close Your Heart" - 4:39 # "Love You Like I Do" - 5:14 Album Credits * Atmophere manipulation by: The Hobbit. * Kantele on 'Salt in Our Wounds' by Vaeinamoeinen. * Photography courtesy of: Rankin. * Ethical supervising by: Ovo. * Produced by: HIM and T.T. Oksala except 'Pretending' and 'Please Don't Let it Go' produced by Kevin Shirley and 'Heartache Every Moment' produced by HIM, T.T. Oksala and Kevin Shirley. * All songs by Valo / published by Heartagram. * Synth bass on 'Salt in Our Wounds' by Lava Man. * 'Lose You Tonight', 'Close the the Flame' and 'Don't Close Your Heart' mixed by John Fryer. * Programming on 'Close to the Flame' by Midi Amin. * Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound. * Guitar solo on 'Lose You Tonight' by Ramses 200. * Additional production on 'Salt in Our Wounds' by Kevin Shirley and John Fryer. * Delay madness on 'Beautiful' by Ras Nisu. * Engineered by T.T. Oksala and Kevin Shirley. * Virtual maximizing by El Rey De La Isla De Los Muertos. * 'Salt in Our Wounds', 'Please Don't Let it Go', 'Heartache Every Moment' and 'In Joy and Sorrow' mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. * Cover artwork by: Natas Pop in collaboration with Thulsa D. * 'Pretending' mixed by: Randy Stub. * Percussion on 'Don't Close Your Heart' by: Peter Hornström. * 'Love You Like I Do' mixed by: Valo. * Cello on 'In Joy and Sorrow' by: Eicca Toppinen courtesy of Island Records. * Edited by: Minerva Pappi at Finnvox Studios. * Religious assistance by: Nexus Alhazred. * A & R by: Asko Kallonen/BMG Finland with Per Kviman/RCA UK. * 'You Are the One', 'In Love and Lonely' and 'Beautiful' mixed by: T.T. Oksala. * Additional production on 'In Joy and Sorrow' by: Kevin Shirley. * Multiaural emulating by: Tom Yang Gung. * Recorded at: Finnvox, Petrax and Crystal Sound. * Mood swings by: Yon Fra. * Strings on 'In Joy and Sorrow' arranged and conducted by Tuomas Kantelinen and produced by John Fryer. * Elemental spheres by Pena. ERT * The Brotherhood of Heartagram, The Order of the Flame and U.H.S. would like to thank: Buzz and the Moon, The Pimplesound Studios, Hinterland and the Order of the Hint. The Sentinels of Strenght, Doktor Skrepper and the Skreppers, Suho, The Empress of Puotila, S. Yoshiaki and Kabuki, Zoltan Plutonium, Jude, Jesse, Helmut, The astrophysical spheres of Agn'gn'a'tho'iä'th, Snow White Bolton, The River Nigger, Pu-Pu-Pu-Pu Pultsi Pältsi Pultsi, Leo, Glockenspiel, Henry the Great, Peppi and the most famous Finnish Eskimo, Finnair and Feng-Shui, Mrs. Burton, Zompf, The Pervert Priest and the Prisoners of Blood, Bam and Jenn, The Croatian Succubus, V'oskon for our daily bread, Kisse, The Haemophrodigal mammals of the azure planet in the solar system of IGN'OEJFLS'ÅÖÄ'QOFRUZMN, I.L.E.-476's central processing unit, the Blue Dragon, The Mamas and the Papas, Les Hyde, Loenruth's wheelchairs and cigars, Nauska, Komet, Silulalu, Mazart, Nitrohamis, Juskill America, Osho, ERT. * S. Leni exclusively uses Lamb-Egg, Bender and a $500 fuzz pedal he bought from New York. * Buddha Cognac gets free stuff from Tama, Paiste and Aquarian if he puts stickers on his drums and appears in their ads. * Burton gets a quite good discount from KORG. * Elvis sang to a Shure microphone and so does Don Vitto. * Danny loves Laney and adores Gibson. Notes International Releases Special Limited Edition * This release comes with a slip-case over the jewel case. The German version of the slip-case has the word HIM on the cover in orange while the Finnish version is silver which is more common. The CD contains an enhanced CD-Rom with music videos for 'In Joy & Sorrow' and 'Pretending'. External Links * Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights releases at HIM CD DATABASE Category: HIM albums